Burnout Prevention Tip: Just Say No

Have you ever noticed that people who aren’t busy all the time never seem to get burnt-out? That’s because somewhere along the way, they learned how to say no.

Man says no

It’s actually a very important skill to cultivate, especially if you have a busy work life and want to have a good family life. How many nights are you out in the evening, at work or community -related events? An excess of two nights a week starts to tax your energy and your family life.

So if you’re already feeling pressured and exhausted, start saying no. The next time someone asks you to do something new, to take on additional responsibility, even to attend a new social event, politely decline. Explain that you’re overtaxed right now, that you appreciate the invitation, but you need to take care of yourself and cut back on your time away from home. Most everyone will accept that.

An especially effective way to politely decline an invitation for leadership or board work is to say ” I only want to give you 100% effort and right now, I can’t do that with all my other commitments. Please ask me again next year and I can re-evaluate.” People appreciate your candor and would rather have you at your best.